Mechanical toy baseball



l.. C. 4ammala MECHAMCAL Toy BASEBALL Suba ATTORNEY l L.. C. -BARKER MECHANICAL 'roxv AspAgL.;

Mai' '3, 1927.

Filed ou. 5, 1926* 'z'sheet's-Shee. 2

iis-5- LE Gmini. El/lnrle s lNvENToR l.

' BY A Mmmm Patented May. 3,- 1927.

Unirse STATES y mam B W LEONARD GHARLESEARKER, or EDGEWATEE, NEW JERSEY.

MECHANICAL TOY BASEBALL.

Application filed October 1926. Serial No. 139,699.

My invention relatesto games or toys and refers more particularly to a miniature base,

ball game for indoor use wherein the playing `eld is proportionatelyin size to that of 5 a regulation field.

One object of my invention is to provide a toy baseball' game that will contain all the essential features of the game as it iS played upon a regulation field. A

Another objectof my invention is to provide means whereby the batter may manipulate the spring operated bat at will, in a way that is similar to that of a batter in a regulation game.

15. A further object of my invention lies in the operation of the pitching. mechanism which will allow the-pitcher to control the speed of the ball mechanically.

' A still Jfurther object of my invention is to provide a miniature game board whose operation is dependent upon the lskillof the two operators, each of which represents the opposing` teams.

With these and other objects in view, my 5 invention resides in the features of construction, arrangement of parts, and method of operation which will hereinafter be fully disclosed in the specification and illustrated in the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views. i

Figure 1 is a plan view of the device.

Fi1gure2 is a section on line 2--2 of Figure Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Filgure 4 is a section on line 4 4 of Figure Figure 5 is a plan of one of the markers.

Figure 6 is 'an elevation of one of the markers.

Figure 7 is an isometric view of one of the clip markers that are used in recording the strikes and outs.

The playing field of this device is, of course, of greatly reduced area but is proportionate to a regulation base hall field. A

This board. for the sake of illustration, is

shown as made up of a field 1, being held by vwhich are the base lines 1 2, the pitcheris box 17 and `1 8 and the w-all of the field 1.

and within a frame or moulding 2, with curved corners 3.

The field 1, is held approximately inthe central part of this frame 2, by the shoulder 4, :against which the same fits or is held by anysuitab'le means.

Thel lower part of this frame 2, has a shoulder 5, into which lits and is held by any suitable means, a bottom 6. l

This board thus forms a box like structure with the field 1, wholly surrounded by -'a wall withinwhich the ball7, may be manipulated as will be hereinafter more fully described.

In playing the game itis necessary that the iield 1, should be levelled and to take care of that there is provided,-on the under side of each corner, a downwardly projecting screw fastened thereto as shown in Figure 1 by 8, said screw having a ball nut 9, thereon, so that the board may be leveled by adjusting these four ball nuts a'nd by the aid of the levels 9a and 9b, as shown in Figure 1.

The iield 1, is marked oli' into a diamond as shown by the lines 10 and 11,- between 7.

5 13. and the home plate 14. -1

Y Near the home plate 14. are the pits 15 and 16, for the sides in the field and at the bat respectively, these pits bounded by the lines There are nine holes 19, in each ofthese pits which iit the players 20, one of which is shown in Figures 5 /and 6, each player having a pin 21, on thebottom whichi'ts into these holes 19.

when the Siae in pit 15, has theatre, the 2 players are placed in the field in their proper positions.

The catcher representedby IKE- C is placed in hole 22,. the pitcher HAL-P in hole 23, the first base BUD-1B in hole 24, the second hase GAR- 2B in hole 25, the

r'third hase DEL-3B in hole 26, short stop FAT-SS Ain hole 27, right field ABE-RF in hole 28. left` field ELY--LF in hole 29,

'center field CAL- CF in hole 30 and the umpires not shown inthe holes 31 and 32. The side at the bat aire moved, as the play l progresses, from hole to hole that is to say will hold the ball 7, and when the ball lands in this hole the batterwill be out.

Near the third base is another foul fence 38, and a hole 39, which serves for the same lpurpose as does hole 37. 'y

-There are oval holes in the field, 40 in front of the catchers position 22, 41 infront of the first base 24, 42 in front of the second base 25, 43 in front of the third base 26, 44 in front of the short stop 27, 45 in front of'the right field 28, 47 in front of the left field 29, and 46 in front of the center field 30.

Above and partly .encircling these holes is a frame work 48,*having a beveled edge 49, supported by washer or washers 50, andl lIield by screws 51 and nuts 52, as shownin ig. 4.

This bevel is provided so that when a ball is batted within the reach of this frame, the beveled edge will tend to direct the ball into the oval hole provided forthat purpose and the batter is out.

This saine principle applies to all of the holes 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 and 47 and ,when the `ball clears all of the holes and lands into any of the holes 53, 54, 55 and 56, it means that the batter has a three base hit but if it lands behind the lines 57 and58,

and not in the holes 53, 54, 55 or 56, it means a two base hit. The rectangles 59 and 60 are representative places for the rooters and like the spaces 12 and 13 are preferably painted white while ameters, between short stop and third base is two ball diameters or one and one half ball diameters between the'pitcher and second base and pitcher and short stop, bet-Ween the third base and the foul line is one and one "quarter ball diameters, between the right field and the wall is one ball diameter. The spacing, not batting spacing, between the rigl'it field and the center field is ten ball diameters, between thecenter field and the left field is ten ball diameters andbetween the left field and wall' isone ball diameter, so that it, can be readily seen that it is not very easy to get a two base or three base hit or home run in this game.

The ball is pitched by a tension spring 61, which is connected on one end to an ear 62,

on a. sliding piece 63, which slides between two guides 64 and 65, held positioned by the rivets 66, and the other end of this slide has an extension or ear 67, which extends up' `through a slot 68 inthe field 1.

The other end of this spring 61 .is connected to a wir'e 69 or other operating means, passes over` the rotatable wheel orspool 70, to a ring 7l, throughA a hole 72 in the frame2.

This ball propelling slide 63,`whenpushed by hand back away from the pitcher is held under tension of the spring61, by the latch 73, which is provided with a sloping head 74, a spring 75, a stem 76, a stop head 77, al body 7 8,l holding rivets 79 and a guide pin 80. To the end of thel stop head 77, a rodor vwire 81, is attached which pasess through the passing over the roller or pulleyy.70, the ball will move at a speed dependent upon what tension may be placed upon the spring 61, so that it is self evident many speeds of de livery-of the ball may be obtained.

. The bat 84, a miniature of a regulation bat, is fastened to a shaft 85, having a collar 86, and a shoulder 87, which holds the same in positionbetween the frame 1, and the bottom` 6.

This shaft 85, has a coil spring 88, one end of which 89, is firmly fastened to the shaft 85, and the other end 89to the field 1.

The collar 86, has a pin 90, which limits the movement ofthe shaft 85, carrying the bat 84, by engaging the stop pin 91.

The bat, when operated, is moved by the batters hand in the direction of the arrow, 92, until it has reached the dotted position 93, where it isvheld by the pin 94, on the arm 95, pivoted at"96, in the lug 97, and normally held out of engagement with the bat 84, by the spring 98. i

When the bat is moved around to the posi-- tion 93, the batter preses down the end 99,

The rubber obstructions Ior barriers 102v and 103, near the centerfield are provided so that if the ball hits them it will go over the wall or fence for a home run.

lIn the rules of play, in'all infield outs, the

.batter is out and any runners on base are than one on bases, the fielder returns the batted ball to the right field foul territory, the last runner to get on base is out, the other runners advance one base and the batter takes first base. v

When a batted ball is returned to left field foul territory with more than one on base, the most advanced runner is out, the other runners advance one base and. the batter takes first base.

If the fielder returns a batted ball to a right field dugout with none on base, the batter is out, with one on base, it is scored as a double play, with more than one on bases, it is scored as a double play, the batter and the last man to get on base are/out and other runners advance lone base. y

If fielder return a batted ball tothe left field dugout with two or more on base, it is scoredl as a double play, the two most advanced runners are out, the batter takes first base and if there be another runner, the other runner advances one base.

If the fielder returns a batted ball to the catchers box, with two or more runners on bases, it is scored as a triple play, if there were none out, it retires the side, with one on base it scores as a double play and with none on basesthe batter is out.

Balls batted fair that come to a stop on fair territory are scored as singles except those that stop in two or three base hit territory.

A ball driven between the first baseman 'or between the third baseman and the foul line'is scored as a vtwo base hit and is not an out if the ball is caught by a fielder after the ball has been driven through one of these openings.

Whenthe ball hits the back fence or wall,

, it scores as a two base hit and when the ball or wall.

Fouls are out when the foul ball comes to a stop in the holes on either side of the foul territory. i

-On each side of the field 1, attached to the fence or wall 2, are clip markers 104, one for marking the outs and the other for marking the strikes, which markers consist of a base 105, having' two recesses 106 and 107, into which fit two clips 108 and v109, as shown in Figure 7, 108 1s down and 109 is u Theselclips 108 and 109'are pivoted gy the pin 110, and held in position by the springs 111 and 112.

Having thus described and illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to limit myself to theexact construction shown as modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a base ball apparatus of the character described, the combination with a playing field surrounded by a wall or fence, of a multiple of oval pockets in spaced relation with each other representative of players positions and other pockets for fouls and three base hits, each of the said pockets representing players positions having a guiding beveled framework directing the ball into said pockets, mechanically operable means controlling the speed of and directing a ball to rollat speeds variable at Will by the operator, towards the batter and spring operable, manually set and releasable means for batting the rolling ball.

2. In a base ball apparatus of the character described, the combination with an enclosed field, of a multiple of oval shaped ball receiving and retaining pockets, a multiple of ball deflecting resilient barriers, means by which the strength of the spring against which the pitcher is operated may be varied at the will of the operator, means guiding and directing the ball toward the batter, mechanically operable manually releasable means for batting the rolling ball and means recording the outs and strikes.

3. In a base ball apparatus of the character described, the combination with a fenced playing field, of a multiple of oval ball receiving and retaining pockets, those whlch are in representative players positions having means directing a ball therein, -means for utilizing markers representative of the players in proper positions, means for rolling a ball at various speeds toward the batter, means for batting the rolling ball and controlling the release of said bat and means for recording the outs and strikes.

4. In a base ball apparatus of the character described, the combination with a fenced playing field, of a multiple of oval ball receiving and holding pockets in representative pla ers positions each provided with marker olding means, means for rolling a ball at various speeds toward the batter, means for batting the rolling ball, means for recording the outs and the strikes and means for leveling the said apparatus.

5. In a baseball apparatus of the character described, the combination including a sie playing field, a horizontally movable miniature spring operated, pivoted bat, a marked diamond', foul line fences, a multiple of resilient barriersand oval ball receiving pockets, and means for pitching the ball at various speeds, by varying at thewill of the operator, the strength of the spring against which thel pitcher is operated and means releasing the said variable spring operating means and guiding the ball to- Ward the batter.

6, In a base ball apparatus of the characi ter described, the combination with a -playing ield, of a leveling means, a marked diamond and subdivided field, a pivoted, miniature, spring operated bat, manually set and released, a multiple of barriers and ball receiving and holding pockets, means for rolling, guiding, manually controlling the speed of and releasing the ball propelling means and means for recording the strikes and outs'.

Signed at Nevi7 York, in the Acounty of New York and State of New. York this 4th day of October, A. 111926.

LEONARD CHARLES BARKER. 

